


Lost Along the Way

by sparklepox (travelingpsycho)



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-23
Updated: 2014-06-23
Packaged: 2018-02-05 20:50:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,304
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1831819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/travelingpsycho/pseuds/sparklepox
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lu Han and Minseok fall in love across Europe, but what happens when the holiday is over?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lost Along the Way

They meet in France. Lu Han doesn't speak French any better than Minseok does, but he has his phrasebook open to the right page to ask "Which way to the bus terminal?" The woman at the information desk says something neither of them understands, then shakes her head in annoyance at their blank expressions and draws a little map instead. "Merci," Minseok says, probably with a terrible accent. The woman ignores him.

Then he turns to his rescuer and repeats his thanks in French before realizing that doesn't make sense. He corrects himself to Korean, only to realize that he doesn't even know where this man is from. Just because he's Asian doesn't mean he's from Korea. But he smiles and says, "You're welcome" in Korean and Minseok relaxes.

"I'm Minseok," he says. "Thanks for helping me."

"Lu Han. Nice to meet you."

The name catches him off guard. "Not Korean?" he asks.

"Chinese," Lu Han says with a smile. "But I went to university in Seoul and studied Korean."

That makes Minseok smile. The tour he's taking has people from all over the world and he was afraid he wouldn't hear any Korean for two weeks, but here he is meeting someone who speaks it on the first day. "Are you going to the bus terminal too?"

"Yeah, I'm supposed to meet my tour group there." He shows Minseok a tag on his bag, and Minseok laughs and shows the matching one on his. Lu Han laughs too, and Minseok catches himself staring for a moment too long at the way his face lights up when he does. "I guess we'll be seeing a lot more of each other, then," Lu Han says cheerfully, then grabs Minseok's arm like they didn't just meet a few minutes ago and pulls him in the direction of the bus terminal.

They meet the rest of their tour group, who are mostly older and speaking in languages Minseok doesn't understand. There are two middle-aged Chinese women who Lu Han immediately charms when he helps them with their bags and Minseok fears he might lose his only companion as they start fussing over him, but Lu Han manages to escape after a few minutes and comes back to him.

"I think they like you," Minseok teases. "They're going to be sad that you don't want to hang out with them."

"They're nice, but I want to hang out with you more," Lu Han says with a smile, and Minseok smiles back, thinking that Lu Han has charmed him too.

 

They sit together on the bus and walk around the famous sights of Paris together when the bus stops at them, taking pictures of each other in silly poses and running around like little kids. Lu Han is easy to talk to, his Korean smooth and his smile putting Minseok at ease. They're both tired after long flights, but they chatter endlessly anyway. Minseok finds out that despite his baby face, Lu Han is the same age as him, that he moved home to Beijing after university and he wanted to be a soccer player or a kpop singer but instead he works at what he calls "a boring office job," that this is his first time in Europe and if he likes it he might continue traveling after the tour is over. In return, Lu Han asks him all kinds of questions, and listens to Minseok talk about his unremarkable life like it's fascinating.

They're left on their own for dinner, and Lu Han drags him to a hole-in-the-wall cafe where they laughingly puzzle over the menu and end up ordering randomly. Minseok's not sure what he eats that night, but he's not hard to please and it tastes delicious. Lu Han seems less sure about his own meal and ends up forcing half of it on Minseok while stealing pasta off his plate, making Minseok laugh at his skeptical expression. They order wine because Lu Han says they can't not have some when they're in Paris, not enough to get really drunk but enough to get a pleasant buzz going in Minseok's head.

They linger for a long time over coffee, continuing to talk though the pace has slowed down some as they get more tired. Minseok catches Lu Han watching him over his coffee cup, looking at him like he's captivating and smiling when he realizes Minseok's noticed, a little shy but with clear intent. _So there is something there,_ Minseok thinks, and he holds Lu Han's gaze and smiles back.

They finally head back to their hotel, walking close enough that their arms brush, and stop in front of Lu Han's room. Minseok's about to say goodnight when Lu Han says, "Come in for a bit."

Minseok tries to figure out just what kind of an invitation it is, but it's hard to read anything in Lu Han's innocent-looking face. Still, it's been a wonderful day and he's not ready for it to end, so he says, "Okay," and follows Lu Han inside.

The room is small and simple but he only looks at it for a few seconds before Lu Han kisses him. There's just one moment of hesitation, like he's not sure he read the signals right, but when Minseok doesn't pull away, he goes for it, and Minseok is quick to respond. This is not at all how he thought he'd be spending the first night of his vacation, but he also didn't think he'd meet anyone like Lu Han, who is handsome and kind and funny and interesting and apparently pretty into him. He'd be an idiot to turn him down.

They kiss for a long time, there in the middle of the hotel room. Minseok skates his hands up Lu Han's back, then down to slip under the hem of his shirt, finding more muscle than he expects from Lu Han's lanky frame. Lu Han's breath catches at the touch of his hands and he pulls away to tug his shirt off. Minseok pauses to take in the sight, smooth skin and strong arms that give him all kinds of interesting thoughts, and Lu Han smiles a little self-consciously and pulls Minseok's shirt off too.

He has to laugh at the way Lu Han's eyes widen as he looks Minseok over. "If I'd known you were hiding a body like that under your clothes I might not have waited until after dinner," he says with a grin before moving in to kiss Minseok again. They explore each other's bodies with their hands, and then Minseok drops his mouth to Lu Han's neck, his shoulder, his chest, enjoying the little gasps that escape him.

They eventually move to the bed, losing their pants along the way, lying flush against each other. Lu Han's not loud, but he murmurs things like "yeah" and "right there" and "that's good" along with other things in what Minseok assumes is Chinese, and lets out breathy moans when Minseok grinds against him. "Touch me," he begs in a shaky voice, and Minseok is all too willing to do what he asks.

He pulls off Lu Han's underwear and then wraps a hand around him, enjoying the way his hips arch up off the bed at the first stroke. He does it again and again, drawing louder moans from Lu Han. His face is flushed, his body so responsive, and Minseok thinks he could watch him like this forever, but then Lu Han reaches down and catches his wrist, stopping him. "What?" he asks, letting go.

Lu Han sits up and kisses him, hands cupping his cheeks, and then murmurs with lips brushing his jaw, "I want you to fuck me."

Minseok's brain short circuits at the mere thought, but then he realizes something. "I don't have any condoms." He's not sure he's ever regretted anything more in his life.

But then Lu Han says, "I do." It comes out in the same sexy murmur, but when he pulls back, he looks a little sheepish. He goes to his suitcase and pulls out a small bag, and Minseok thinks, _We'll have to buy more,_ and then is dimly shocked that he's already thinking about this happening again.

Lu Han presses a condom and a little packet of lube into his hand. "I didn't think I'd really need this," he says wryly. "Especially not on the first night."

"Lucky for us you brought it anyway," Minseok says.

He preps Lu Han carefully but as quickly as he thinks he can get away with, and it's okay because Lu Han seems as eager as he is, muffling his moans in a pillow when he can't hold back anymore. When he finally lifts his head and says, "Do it," Minseok doesn't need to be told twice.

Lu Han's body is hot and tight around him and he makes the most amazing noises as Minseok thrusts into him again and again, gripping his hips tightly. He shudders all over when Minseok touches him, and Minseok has him change position so he can watch Lu Han's face as he falls apart. His hand covers his mouth, then moves into his hair, then clutches at Minseok's arm, then finally drops to clutch at the sheets as he comes. He looks beautiful like this, Minseok thinks, flushed and gasping and shaking beneath him, and it doesn't take much more for Minseok to come too, nerves exploding with pleasure.

They pull apart slowly, Lu Han sprawling out on the bed while Minseok throws away the condom. He goes back to the bed, a little uncertain now that the moment is past, but Lu Han immediately reaches for him and pulls him down to cuddle. "That was great," he says, pressing a kiss by Minseok's ear and then to his chin and finally on his mouth. Minseok kisses back by way of answer, marveling at the way it feels like he could do that forever even though he only met Lu Han this morning.

They manage to drag themselves out of bed long enough to get cleaned up, but when Minseok makes some noise about going to his own hotel room, Lu Han says, "Don't be silly," and drags him back to the bed. With Lu Han's arm tight around his waist and his body pressed all along his back, he can't bring himself to argue. He thinks, before he quickly falls asleep, that he wouldn't want to be anywhere else right now.

 

Minseok wakes up completely disoriented the next morning, between jet lag and the foreign hotel room and Lu Han curled up against his side, an arm draped over Minseok's chest. "What—?" he starts, but then his muddled brain catches up and he remembers that he's in France with a man like no one he's met before.

Lu Han wakes up at the noise and blinks sleepily at him. He looks briefly confused too, but then a slow smile spreads over his face. He looks perfect even barely awake with sleep-mussed hair and Minseok feels like he needs to pinch himself to make sure he's not dreaming. "Morning," Lu Han mumbles, his voice a little rough and impossibly sexy.

"Morning," Minseok replies.

"Just so you know," Lu Han says, propping himself up on his elbow to look at Minseok, "I didn't help you in the airport to get in your pants."

That makes Minseok laugh. "You didn't even know we were going to be in the same tour, did you? Unless you were stalking me."

"I didn't know, but I'm really glad we are." Lu Han smiles wider and Minseok nods his agreement. It's a strange coincidence that's brought them together, but even though Minseok has never been big on romantic cliches, he can't help feeling a little like this was meant to be.

 

It continues like that through ten cities in four countries. Minseok and Lu Han spend every day together, sometimes talking and sometimes in comfortable silence, enjoying amazing sights and joking about the less impressive ones. Minseok never sleeps alone, and one of their hotel rooms is always left untouched. They're not too touchy during the day, because there's a tour group of people around them a lot of the time and they don't know how safe it is in the countries they're in, but at night they're all over each other, staying up too late getting their fill of each other's bodies.

Minseok's responsible side tells him this is going too fast, that he shouldn't be so caught up in someone he's known for mere days, especially someone who lives in another country. Lu Han is wonderful and they're having a great time together, but when all is said and done, Minseok will be going back to Seoul alone and it'll hurt if he gets too attached. But the side of him that decided to take a whirlwind trip to Europe says to just enjoy it while it lasts, and so he does.

Too soon, the last day of their trip rolls around. They don't talk about it, but Lu Han is clingy all day and Minseok knows they're both thinking about it. They have dinner with their whole tour group, and Minseok listens to Lu Han excitedly talking to the Chinese women. He doesn't understand a word (despite Lu Han's attempts to teach him some basic Mandarin phrases), but he likes how animated Lu Han is as he talks.

When he finishes, he turns back to Minseok and explains in Korean, "I was telling them how I've decided to continue traveling for a while."

"What about your boring office job?" Minseok asks.

"It's boring," Lu Han says with a laugh. "I've been saving for this for a while. I can afford to travel for a few months, and I'll figure out the rest when I get back."

He looks happy, and Minseok is happy for him, but complicated by a lot of other emotions. He's jealous that Lu Han is continuing his adventure while he goes back to the grind of real life, and sad that he's not going with him. He's gotten so attached to Lu Han in such a short time that it's hard to imagine not seeing him every day, or maybe ever again. He'd like to think that won't be the case, but he's too much of a realist to think that there isn't a very real possibility that this is it for them.

"You should give me your address," Lu Han tells him. "I'll send you postcards."

Minseok does, but he wonders if he'll really get any postcards. "I expect to hear all about your adventures."

"Of course. I'll be having so much fun you'll want to hop on the next plane and join me." He's joking, mostly, but Minseok catches a little wistfulness in his tone, and tries to ignore the way it tugs at his heart.

They go back to Minseok's hotel room that night. It's nearly midnight and he has to leave for the airport at 6 a.m., and the countdown hangs heavy over their heads. There's desperation in their kisses that night, and the sex is slow and drawn out as though that can make the time last longer that way. When they're done, Lu Han wraps his arms tight around Minseok and pulls him into his chest. "I'm going to miss you," he murmurs into Minseok's hair.

"Me too," Minseok agrees. He thinks about saying a lot of things, like "Thank you" or "I love you" or "Don't leave me," but in the end he just rolls over to face Lu Han and kisses him, slow and lingering.

"Let's not sleep," Lu Han says after a while. "You have to be up in a few hours anyway."

So they stay up, talking and kissing and memorizing each others bodies. The time passes in an unreal haze that makes it seem like it'll last forever so Minseok is shocked when his alarm rings at 5 a.m. (So is Lu Han, who gives a little yelp of surprise that makes them both double over laughing.)

He drags himself out of bed and Lu Han follows him into the shower, which leads to one last hurried round of sex. He has to scramble to finish getting ready and then it's time to go. They're both silent the last ten minutes as he finishes packing, and when Minseok looks up he sees Lu Han watching him with suspiciously shiny eyes.

He gets to his feet, and Lu Han follows suit, stepping in close and kissing him. "Have a great time," Minseok tells him. "I expect to get postcards saying how amazing everywhere you go is."

"Mm," is Lu Han's only response. Minseok thinks he's afraid to talk because he'll start crying. As it is, there are tears glistening in his eyes and Minseok brushes his thumb against the corner of one. Then Lu Han lets out a shaky breath and pulls him into a crushing hug. Minseok feels a little like crying too, so he presses his face into Lu Han's shoulder and tries not to think.

He wouldn't mind staying like that forever, but finally, with great reluctance, he pulls out of Lu Han's hold. "See you," he says, even though he's not sure it's the truth, and Lu Han nods and gives him a shaky smile. He grabs his bag, and with one last wave, he's out the door.

 

Lu Han does send him postcards, a lot at first and then fewer in time. _I wish you were here,_ he always writes at the beginning, but then he doesn't, and Minseok tries not to let it hurt. He shouldn't have expected anything different. At last, after about four months, the postcards stop, and Minseok is disappointed but not surprised.

He can't get in touch with Lu Han in Europe, where he has no phone and no permanent address, but Minseok does send one postcard of his own to his apartment in Beijing, two weeks after he gets back to Seoul. _Welcome home!_ he writes. _Thank you for making my trip memorable._ He writes his phone number at the bottom but doesn't say "call me" because it's easier not to expect anything that way.

But no phone call comes, and then the postcards stop, and next thing he knows it's been over a year and his European adventure feels like a distant memory. It's been long enough now that he's stopped dreaming about Lu Han turning up in Seoul, or calling him from Beijing. He can look back fondly, smile and not feel bitter about the man who still his heart and then disappeared from his life just like that. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and it makes a good story, and that's all it is anymore.

And then one day he's walking home from the grocery store and he's sure he must be hallucinating because there's no way Lu Han is sitting on a bench at the park only a few streets from his apartment. He walks closer to investigate, and as hard as it is to believe, it really is Lu Han. He's a little tanned and he's put on some muscle, but making him look less pretty boy and more manly and hot, but otherwise he looks exactly the same; Minseok's pretty sure he's even got a picture of him in the same t-shirt.

Lu Han doesn't see him, busy frowning at the map in his hands, so Minseok asks, "Do you need some help asking directions?"

Lu Han's head snaps up and his eyes go wide, and then he's on his feet and flinging himself into Minseok's arms. He drops his bag of groceries, but he doesn't care, not when Lu Han is _here_ , in Seoul, hugging him like absolutely nothing has changed between them. "I wanted to surprise you," he explains, clinging so tightly that Minseok can barely breathe, "but then I got lost, and I got frustrated and thought that you probably didn't live here anymore anyway, and that you wouldn't want to see me if you did, so—"

"Of course I want to see you," Minseok cuts him off. It's a complete shock to see Lu Han after all this time, but while he'd made his peace with Lu Han's absence, there's no question that he's happy to see him again. It occurs to him belatedly that they're clinging to each other in the middle of a public park, so he pulls back enough to say, "Let's go talk at my place, okay?"

They end up walking the few minutes to his apartment in silence because Minseok doesn't know where to start with his questions and Lu Han seems too nervous to start explaining unprompted. It's not until they're settled on his couch (and Minseok is boggling at Lu Han being in his apartment the way he imagined so many times before) that he asks, "What have you been up to?"

"I'm sorry I stopped writing," Lu Han says, even though that's not really the question. "I ran out of money and I got too stressed out about what to do next to think about anything else, and then I felt awkward about how long it had been since I last wrote and I convinced myself you didn't really want me to keep writing to you all the time..."

"That's stupid," Minseok says, but gently.

Lu Han makes a face at that. "I know, but that's all the excuse I've got."

"Forget about it," Minseok says. What's done is done, and he doesn't care anymore. "So what happened after you ran out of money?"

"I eventually got a job with this tour company working with tourists from Asia. I was fine with the Chinese and Korean tourists, but you should have seen me trying to communicate when we had groups from Japan." He laughs, and Minseok smiles, remembering Lu Han valiantly attempting to communicate with people in countries where he didn't speak a word of the language. "I did that for about nine months before I decided I'd had enough of Europe and went back to China. That was nice for maybe a week, but I had to stay with my parents because I didn't have an apartment anymore, and I didn't have a job so they started driving me crazy about that."

"So you decided to run away to Seoul?" Minseok asks. He doesn't know how he'll feel if Lu Han is just here for a little while; Beijing is closer than Europe, but even if Lu Han is there, they're not likely to see much of each other.

"I was looking for a job and I found this company that does tours for Chinese tourists in Korea and they were looking for a Mandarin speaker with good Korean, so I applied and they said if I was willing to move to Seoul, the job was mine. So I moved here last week."

He's smiling, a little hesitantly, but it gets wider when he sees Minseok's disbelieving grin. "You mean you live here now?"

"I do," Lu Han says.

"And you're going to stay?" Minseok asks, hardly daring to hope.

Lu Han nods. "I don't know for how long, but I'd like to stay if I can." He bites his lip and Minseok can see that he's steeling himself before he continues, "I...that is, for all I know, you're seeing someone and—" He breaks off when Minseok shakes his head and swallows hard. "I've thought about you a lot since then, and I tried really hard to convince myself that even though we had a good time, I was making too big a deal of it, but you were the best thing that ever happened to me and I...I love you, or at least I did, and I think if we get to know each other again, we might be able to—"

He's rambling, so Minseok cuts him off quite effectively with a kiss. When he pulls back, Lu Han's eyes are wide with shock. He touches his lips with two fingers and stares at Minseok in disbelief. "I sent a postcard," Minseok tells him, "to your apartment in Beijing. I gave you my phone number so you could call me when you got back and I was always hoping you would."

"I didn't get it," Lu Han says. "My landlord was mad that I didn't come back like I was supposed to so he probably threw out my mail."

"The point is," Minseok says, because none of that matters anymore, "that I wanted to see you again, because I fell for you too. I don't know what it'll be like here, with real life and everything, but I want to—"

This time Lu Han stops him with a kiss, grinning when he pulls away. "I wasn't rambling that much," Minseok grumbles.

"I know," Lu Han says, eyes sparkling. "I just wanted to kiss you."

Minseok hits him, and then he kisses him again, deep and long this time. There's a lot to be unsure about, a lot that could go wrong if they're in it for the long haul instead of two short weeks away from it all, but he knows what he wants and now that he's gotten a second chance at it, he's going to grab hold of it with both hands. He has no basis for it, but he can see the future with Lu Han, see them growing old together and going back to Paris and telling people how they met there because Minseok didn't know how to ask for directions. Or maybe they won't have adventures like that anymore, but he thinks that with Lu Han by his side, he'll be ready for anything.


End file.
